How many birders will find a Black Skimmer along the coasts of the Western Hemisphere during the October Big Day? (photo by Paul Konrad). Among the 7,238 different species of birds found last year, Red-headed Buntings were on the birding lists submitted by many birders from central Asia and India (photo by Sriram Reddy).

This fall’s October Big Day is just a few days away – Saturday October 8th. It’s the day birders around the world unite to go birding to identify and count all the birds they see – for 10 minutes or 10 hours, at home or in the field. Then birders report their list of birds to eBird to contribute to a collective look at the distribution of bird species during mid-fall migration. How Exciting! Last October birders from 195 countries reported 7,238 different species of birds during October Big Day 2021, which dramatically demonstrated the power of birds to bring people together with a common worldwide goal.

It’s time to plan ahead: Will you be birding solo, or organizing a group of family members, birding club members, a scout troop, or another social option to bird together? Would you prefer to spend a short time at home recording the birds you see in your yard, or is this the Saturday you break away and visit a favorite national wildlife refuge or national park, binoculars and birding list in hand? Perhaps you are an ambitious birder who begins birding first thing in the morning at your favorite fall hotspot, followed by a break for lunch at home with an hour devoted to checking for birds in your yard and at your feeding station; then topping off your October Big Day by driving to a local marsh to add a third list of birds you discover there before the end of the day. What fun; how exciting!

Join the global team and help set a new record for the biggest October day of birding by starting your planning today. Learn how to participate at October Big Day—8 Oct 2022 - eBird

Wherever you are on October 8th, take a few minutes or a few hours to join the world of birding during October Big Day. Participate from anywhere you choose, then share your sightings with eBird and check in to see what other birds are being reported worldwide. Even if you can’t participate, you can still enjoy the thrill of the day by checking the live input on the website by birders from around the world – nation by nation, checklist by checklist, at October Big Day - eBird For now, this site provides last year’s results, which is an amazing accounting for the popularity and importance of the birding community as we learn more about birds, together.